Investigation of process parameters' effects on strand morphology of FDM products

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is widely utilized in additive manufacturing, with the product quality significantly dependent on the strand cross-section geometry. This paper investigates how process parameters affect strand morphology in FDM-printed parts. This is achieved by monitoring the nozzle's position throughout the printing process and analyzing the cross-sectional dimensions of sample strands produced under varying conditions through microscopy. The study is conducted in two phases: In the first phase, real-time data on nozzle positioning is collected, and in the second phase, cross-sectional dimensions of the printed samples are measured through the examination of 150 microscope images from 15 samples. An ANOVA analysis is then applied to establish a relationship between the selected process parameters and the dimensions of the products. The findings reveal that the nozzle height plays a pivotal role in determining the height of a strand, and along with nozzle temperature and travel speed, influences the width and adhesion length of the strand. These results provide a foundation for developing a closed-loop control system aimed at enhancing the quality of products produced by 3D printers. Additionally, the novel method for real-time nozzle position measurement introduced in this study contributes to further research on dimensional accuracy and mechanical performance in additive manufacturing products.